Continuing Pastor Herk's message: John Quincy Adams, the Sixth President of the United States; wrote: “My hopes of a future life are all founded upon the Gospel of Christ and I cannot cavil or quibble away the whole tenor of His conduct by which He sometimes positively asserted and at others countenances [permits] His disciples in asserting that He was God. The hope of a Christian is inseparable from his faith. Whoever believes in the Divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures must hope that the religion of Jesus shall prevail throughout the earth. Never since the foundation of the world have the prospects of mankind been more encouraging to that hope than they appear to be at the present time. And may the associated distribution of the Bible proceed and prosper till the Lord shall have made “bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” [Isaiah 52:10].”
Pastor Herk continues that Christians are not to be another “special interest” group pushing our issues. As disciples of Christ in a country founded on Christian principles and the Word of God, we are to be concerned citizens glorifying God’s kingdom. Our interest should be to ensure liberty and justice for all, but in line with God’s law, His holy Word, Will and Way. Our duty is to be the best witness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that we can be. Our politics are those of the kingdom of God first and foremost. I do not know how any Christian can vote for an issue or candidate platform that is so clearly against God’s laws and principles in what the Bible (God’s Holy Word) prohibits. The Christian church has not been doing its job. We have not been discipling for the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Doing what is “right” in the eyes of the Lord does not involve being silence about ungodly issues and actions, or doing nothing about it. It does involve discipling all within our sphere of influence in this fallen world to convert darkness of sin and unbelief to the light of Gospel truth in the holy Word, Will and Way of God to walk in righteousness daily. Do all that you can do to restore America to its rightful and godly place as one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all. There are great opportunities with great responsibilities before Almighty God, who reigns and rules in Heaven and on Earth. He has bestowed great blessing upon us and blessed this country.
The Lord Jesus said in Luke 12:47-49 “And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” The word “fire” here is “pŷr”, meaning the holiness of God that consumes all. It is symbolic of that which tries by fire the faith of saints (those who have been sanctified), producing what will glorify the Lord. Of the divine judgment, testing the deeds of believers, at the judgment seat of Christ in Heaven to snatch from danger of destruction as one who in a conflagration has escaped through the fire not uninjured. But also, of the fire of divine judgment upon the rejecters of Christ and His gospel of salvation; the fire of hell (of the extreme penal torments which the wicked are to undergo after their life on earth an endured by the ungodly hereafter; so, in the discourses of the Lord Jesus.
The 1828 Webster’s dictionary states that the radical sense of fire is usually, to rush, to rage, to be violently agitated; and if this is the sense of fire, from shining or consuming and producing expansion, and thus enlarging all their dimensions. It is very hot and in this state, it is said to be on fire. When combustion ceases, it loses its extreme heat, and we say, the fire is extinct. It can be light; luster; splendor. Yet, it can also be the instrument of punishment; trouble and affliction. It is that which inflames or irritates the passions and can be an ardor of temper; violence of passion. It is liveliness of imagination; vigor of fancy; intellectual activity; animation; force of sentiment or expression. The passion of love; ardent affection. By the holy fire Jesus brought, some understand the preaching of the gospel, and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, which is already kindled.
God has given us so much, and must be disappointed that we have not lived up to His expectations. Jesus tells his disciples that they are to be salt (which heals, seasons and preserves), penetrating our culture to uphold that which is right, and light (which expels darkness and illuminates the path) shining truth and righteousness, pointing the world to Christ. It is a ministry of restoration to the sovereign Lord God’s virtues and values, winning the world to Christ by good Christian citizens.
Let's conclude Pastor Herk's message on being a Christian citizen in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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